Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets' population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and ethnicity.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Tower Hamlets increased by 30%, from about 196,000 to 254,000.

The addition of just under 58,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in London and was the fastest-growing across England.

In 2011, Tower Hamlets was home to, on average, 92 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Tower Hamlets

Latest census data also show that the median age of Tower Hamlets remained 29 years in the decade to 2011.

This cosmopolitan area had the second-lowest average age in London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 24,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 60 and 69 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 28% of people in Tower Hamlets are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

During this period, Tower Hamlets overtook 24 local authority areas, including Newham and Basingstoke and Deane, to become the English local authority area with the ninth-highest percentage of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 9 in 10 (92%) in Tower Hamlets reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 91% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 3.7% to 3.3%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Barking and Dagenham (from 90% to 91%).

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Fall in social renting

Tower Hamlets saw England's largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (40%) households in Tower Hamlets lived in social housing, compared with 52% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 16% to 33%.

Redbridge saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of socially rented homes (from 10% to 11%).

The rate of social housing in Tower Hamlets decreased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of households in Tower Hamlets, London and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Tower Hamlets

The number of people in Tower Hamlets that described themselves as Muslim decreased from about 71,000 in 2001 to just under 88,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 36% to 35%.

Across London, the percentage of people from this religious group increased by from 8.5% to 12%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Tower Hamlets that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 76,000 in 2001 to just under 69,000 in 2011 (from 39% to 27%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 28,000 to just under 49,000 (from 14% to 19%).

About 39,000 people (7.4%) did not state their religion, up from just under 15,000 in 2001 (15%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Tower Hamlets decreased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care decreased from 2.4% to 1.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.3%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care fell faster here than in any other local authority district across England. The improvement brought health in Tower Hamlets close to the regional average 1.8% in London described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Tower Hamlets remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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